The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Groups
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
